Salvation for the Fallen
by EvaDean
Summary: The Mark of Cain refused to let Dean go, but can he fight what is within him to regain his humanity? What will it take to save Dean from the mark and himself? Set immediately after the season 9 finale. *Spoiler warning*
1. Chapter 1

I want to thank the followers of my story, "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace." The story is not forgotten but is on hiatus for right now. I will finish the story because I don't like to leave things undone; but, I need to get this current story written. The season finale was great and I can't wait until October to find out what happens. So, I decided to write what I believe will be canon but only the writers know what will happen! I am still new at writing so I am open to criticism and direction. Thank you again.

I do not own the characters of this story. That pleasure goes to Mr. Kripke.

"Open your eyes . . . Let's take a howl at that moon." Crowley speaks excitedly, patiently awaiting Dean to open his eyes.

Within seconds, Dean opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. Everything looks and feels the same to him. He remembers everything, including what happened before he opened his eyes. He remembers being beaten senseless by Metatron. He remembers Metatron stabbing him with the angel blade and twisting it to refute any possible way of recovering. He remembers the look of horror on Sam's face when he knew he was not going to make it out of this one alive. Finally, he remembers telling Sam how proud he was of them before everything faded to black. He may still be proud of Sam but, how can he be proud of himself right now. He is 100% certain he did not come back from the dead with no consequences. Everything seems to fall into place as he also begins to recall hearing Crowley's voice revealing the predicament he now faces. As he tightens his grip on the first blade, his fingers begin to twitch as he turns his head to face Crowley.

"Whoa, easy there tiger." Crowley cautiously states as he slowly takes a step back, stretching his hands out in front of him as Dean lays there with a look of pure murder in his black eyes.

Crowley took another step back and bumped into Dean suddenly behind him. Dean throws him up against the wall, knocking over a few items in the process, causing a loud crashing sound which did not go unnoticed.

Downstairs, Sam waited impatiently for Crowley to appear when he heard the loud crash. "Dean?" Sam calls his name in part disbelief and hope. "Dean!" Sam then yells, bolting towards where he laid Dean to rest.

Quickly approaching the room, Sam begins to slow down as he hears Dean hollering at Crowley. He stops at the door to see Dean holding Crowley a foot off the ground with the first blade at his jugular.

"Tell me. Give me _one_ reason why I shouldn't end you right now?" Dean spats out.

"I didn't know, Dean, I swear!" Crowley entreats. "I said it was important, fundamental, for you to know that."

"Ask me if I give a crap!" Dean snarls. "I heard your pathetic speech. What kind of new life is this? Do I look like I want to go howl at any damn moons?" Dean presses the blade further into Crowley's neck drawing a little blood onto the blade, exciting him even more.

"I am not the only one at fault here, you know!" Crowley yells back. "You decided to take on the mark going all rogue. You could have said no. No one forced you. You wanted Abaddon dead just as much as I and no one, or anything, was going to stop you."

Dean was about to retort when he felt a familiar presence in the room.

"Dean?" Sam questioned as he looked at Dean. "Dean."

Dean heard Sam and loosened his hold on Crowley a little as his eyes turned from black rage to his emerald green. Hearing Sam's voice slightly crippled him and brought some familiarity and humanity back to Dean if but for a moment. He did not want Sam to see him like this. Uncertainty, doubt, and fear gripped him enough for Crowley to take advantage of the situation and escape his grasp, positioning himself equally between Sam and Dean.

Shoulders hunched and back towards Sam, all Dean could get out was, "Go away Sam," as he still gripped the blade as if his life depended on it.

Sam took a step forward inside the room before sternly answering, "No," to Dean's request. "I am not leaving you anymore. I made that mistake once and I will _not _do it again."

Back still facing Sam and Crowley, Dean slowly shakes his head. "I can't. I can't deal with you right now, Sammy." Dean pleads as he struggles to keep his rage contained from lashing out and possibly hurting his brother.

"Tough." Sam replies as he glances at Crowley who just looks at him with an innocent expression. He turns back to Dean and continues. "Whatever it is, we can deal with it. We've faced a lot of crap Dean and we came out of it. I am not going to let you out of my sight. Just, put the blade down and-"

Before Sam could finish his sentence, he found himself in the same position Crowley was in. The only difference was Dean held him up with his forearm to his neck instead of the blade. No trace of green in Dean's eyes, Sam stared at a pair of hollow black eyes representing the mere shell of what his brother used to be.

"Really, are you ready to deal with this Sam? Huh, are you?" Dean furiously questions Sam.

Sam's expression is mixed with terror, sorrow, and anger as he looks at his brother and then to Crowley, who just shrugs back at him.

"Look at me!" Dean pulls and bangs Sam back to the wall. "Still want to keep me in your sight? Still want to deal with this?"

Gloss starts to form in Sam's eyes as he sees what his brother has become. Part of him feels responsible for his brother becoming the thing he hated most. Everything he put his brother through, put himself through, seems meaningless now. All looks lost, but he refuses to believe this is the end for his brother. With a new determination, he looks at his brother, his image blurry from the unshed tears in his eyes, and speaks.

"Yes. You're my brother and come hell or high water, I will _not_ leave you."

Dean flinches at his response and although his eyes were still black, Sam could see the shock in his expression. Dean backs off and, before Sam could speak again, he disappears.

"Dean!" Sam shouts. "Damn it!" Sam breathes heavily.

Witnessing everything, Crowley leans against the dresser, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Temperamental little demon isn't he?" Crowley mocks.

"Shut. The. Hell. Up." Sam retorts in a tone to make even the King of Hell take him seriously. "This is _your_ doing. Don't you dare tell me you didn't have the smallest inclination this was going to happen? You _will_ find a way to get him out of this. You will do something or so help me-"

"So help you what? God? Is that what you were going to say? Don't make me laugh! Do you think I can make Dean do something, anything right now? Do you really believe he's just _any_ old run of the mill demon? I don't think so, and you can't make me do anything. I _am_ still the King of Hell."

Sam advances toward Crowley but does not reach him quick enough. Crowley raises his hand throwing Sam across the room and out the door.

"I don't think so. I'll be damned if I get hemmed up by you too. How about you cool off eh?" Crowley disappears, leaving Sam alone and unconscious on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello my faithful readers. I apologize for the delay and I thank you for your patience. I will try to knock out another chapter today. If not, I will definitely have a couple chapters for your reading pleasure in a couple of weeks once I return from vacation.

Sam groggily awakes as he hears his name called from a distance. "Sam? Sam!" Castiel shouts as he hurriedly stalks the bunker. "Is anyone here? Dean?" Castiel begins to believe Metatron was not lying and Dean is really dead. As he turns a corner, he sees Sam resting on his elbows, slowly trying to stand up.

"Sam! Are you alright?" Castiel asks as he runs to Sam and helps him to his feet. "Where is Dean?" Castiel inquires as he helps Sam to Dean's bed and takes a seat in the chair Crowley once occupied. "Is he?" Castiel hesitates. Partly because he does not want to know the answer if it is anything similar to what Metatron revealed to him. The other part of him does not want to face the other possibility.

Sam looks at Castiel. He sees the glint of hope in his eyes that everything is okay and does not want to destroy it. He knows Castiel cares a great deal for Dean and, maybe when he finds out what happened to Dean, will know of a solution. Either way, he knows Castiel can handle the truth and begins to tell him what happened.

"Cas," Sam begins as he leans forward and grips the foot of the bed, "When Dean and I left to confront Metatron…he sucker punched me and knocked me out. When I came to and found them…" Sam pauses. He does not want to finish the story. Castiel may be able to handle the truth but, he does not want to tell it.

"Sam. What happened after you found them?" Castiel pushes as he leans forward in the chair, clasping his hands.

Sam reluctantly continues. "When I found them, I saw Metatron stab Dean in the heart with an angel blade." Sam looks down to the floor avoiding eye contact with Castiel. He shakes his head and continues. "If stabbing him wasn't enough, he then twists the blade." Sam's eyes start to water as he turns to look at Castiel. "You should've seen the look on his face Cas when that bastard stabbed him. How he looked at me when he saw that I witnessed everything." He shakes his head and returns his gaze to the floor. "By the time I got to Dean, Metatron disappeared. I grabbed him off the floor and tried to get him to the hospital but it was too late. He died in my arms Cas." Sam rested his head in his hands and didn't say another word.

Castiel looks at Sam and slowly shakes his head as unshed tears fill his eyes. He hoped Metatron lied just to mess with him. A tear falls from his eyes as he learns Metatron was telling the truth. Dean, his best friend, his family, is dead. The one he dragged out of Hell and gave up Heaven for, would've done anything for, is dead. "Damn it Dean." Castiel somberly mutters as he glances around Dean's room. He notices the scattered and broken items on the floor. Before he could ask what happened, Sam speaks.

"This is my fault you know, what happened to Dean." Sam admits as he sits up. This would not have happened if I didn't shut him out and treat him the way I did."

"This is not your fault Sam. Dean's death is not your fault." Castiel reassures but to no avail as Sam shakes his head in disagreement.

"It is Cas! I'm the one who basically told him we weren't brothers. I told him I wouldn't do the same for him if he were dying." Sam replies, dramatically pointing to himself as he speaks; His tone rising in unison with his anger. "I let him walk away that night. He never would've teamed up with Crowley and took on that damned mark if I were there. I let him walk away Cas!"

Castiel deadpans as he answers Sam. "You were speaking out of hurt and anger Sam. Also, you don't know what would've happened if things were different. That's the thing with free will; you don't know the after affect of a decision until the decision is made. Dean would've done anything for you and I know for a fact you would do the same." Castiel calmly replies to Sam. "We are all at fault here. Dean didn't know the angel possessing you was Gadreel and not Ezekiel. I didn't know Naomi was telling the truth about Metatron. How could I? We each made a decision that had a bad outcome."

Sam exhales sharply and stands up. He then begins to straighten up Dean's room. "Yea, if you say so. All I know is Dean did not deserve what happened to him. There _has_ to be a way to fix this." Sam flexes his jaw as Metatron runs across his mind. "If I ever get my hands on Metatron, I'll kill him." Castiel watches Sam as he reveals Metatron's current situation. "We have Metatron, Sam. We revealed his plan to all his followers and he was captured." Castiel saddens as he continues. "This was not accomplished without loss. Gadreel sacrificed himself for the cause. He was a good soldier."

All Sam focused on was Metatron being captured. He turns to face Castiel, rage and determination set in his eyes. "Take me to him, NOW!" Sam demands.

"No, Sam." Castiel retorts. "Not with the pure rage and murder I see in your eyes. That will not solve anything." Castiel's response shocks Sam, but only for a moment. Anger quickly replaces shock as he grabs Cas by the collar of his trench coat and lifts him from the chair. "Excuse me? Did you just say no?" Sam challenges.

"I will not take you to see Metatron Sam!" Castiel responds, accepting the challenge. "You need to calm down. Killing him will not solve anything. "We need to-"

Sam punches Castiel before he could finish his sentence. He falls onto the chair, knocking it over in the process. Sam leans over Castiel and grabs him again. "Need to do what? What the hell do we need Metatron for Cas? What, in the world, is he still useful for?" Sam spats out.

"In case you didn't know Sam, time isn't exactly on my side!" Cas yells. "My grace is almost gone and I'm dead once it's completely spent. Until I get my grace back and Heaven is completely restored, I'm not killing him." "If hitting me makes you feel better go right ahead, but I'm _not_ taking you to Metatron."

Sam breathes heavily as he trembles with anger. So many emotions run through his head-anger, sadness, anxiety. He knows he shouldn't take it out on Cas. He's just so angry, it is hard for him to contain. His breathing begins to taper off and he loosens his grip on Cas' collar. He grabs Cas' arm and helps him on his feet. He then sets the chair back on its legs and sits down.

"I'm sorry Cas." Sam sighs, leaning back onto the chair. "I just want him to pay for what he did to Dean. Crowley will pay too, for that matter. I wasn't thinking about what he did to you. You're family too Cas."

"It's okay Sam, I understand." Castiel accepts Sam's apology, recognizing the burst of anger for what it was. "Metatron will pay for what he did to Dean." Castiel assures Sam. He then looks around the room and glances at a picture of Dean when he was a child. He walks up to the dresser and picks up the picture. His suspicion begins to grow as he wonders where Dean is and why Sam said Crowley will pay for what he did.

"Sam, what did you mean when you said Crowley will pay for what he did to Dean? Where is Dean, Sam?" He turns to Sam and awaits his answer.

Sam chortles slightly, shaking his head as he looks up at Castiel and responds.

"We got work to do Cas. We have to save Dean."


End file.
